After several hours in the car-an utterly silent drive, since her mind was preoccupied with questions-they arrived at a charming city on the outskirts of Catania. She barely had a moment to bask in the stunning verdant sloping hillsides, crystal blue water, and ancient, Baroque architecture before Ryder careened around a corner and headed up a narrow path, effectively blocking her view of the gorgeous city.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“Up.”
“So not helpful.” Especially since she couldn’t see anything except steep, narrow road and clustered housing.
She finally had to stop trying to look around because the road really was heading. . up. She was plastered against the back of the seat and could do nothing but lean her head against the neck rest and look to the sky, which seemed to be getting closer with every mile.
Ryder finally cleared the small road and tightly packed houses and turned left where the road began to curve. They were still going up and at a steep pace. They seemed to be headed toward a magnificent-looking castle ruin.
“Are we going there?” she asked.
“Yeah.”
Damn. Her blood stirred, excitement fueling her veins with a rush of adrenaline. Despite her worry for her sister, the archaeologist in her was chomping at the bit for a chance to explore the castle.
“Are you sure we can get on the property? We’re not going to be breaking in or anything, are we?”
“Trust me, we won’t be breaking in.”
The castle was isolated at the top of a hill, nothing around it but sheer cliffs-a perfect point of protection against ancient enemies. By the time Ryder slowed down and nearly crawled the car through the narrow stone wall entrance, Angelique wanted to leap out and run to the front door. She was dying to get inside. Her love for ancient ruins had taken front and center in her mind.
“This is breathtaking,” she said as he drove the long curved path-more crushed stones than road, really-that led them to the thick door.
“Uh-huh.” He put the car in park.
She turned to look at him. “Oh, come on. Even you have to admit this castle is pretty cool.”
“It’ll do as a point of protection against anyone trying to get us. But then again, you and I both know demons can get at us from anywhere. So we’ll see.”
“Ugh. You’re no fun. Where’s your love of history?”
“I never had a love of history. Ask Mrs. McCann.”
“Who’s Mrs. McCann?”
“My high school World History teacher. I got a C minus.”
“C minus? You suck.”
He snorted and got out of the car. Angelique did the same, helping him unload. As they did, the front door opened and she whirled around, hoping they wouldn’t find demons standing there.
Instead, a familiar face greeted her. At least she thought she’d seen him before. Deadly handsome, with short, spiky dirty blond hair and an Australian accent.
“ ’Bout time you got here, mate.”
Ryder looked up and quirked a smile. “Hey, Trace. How are you enjoying Italy?”
Trace wrinkled his nose. “Not enough desert. Too much culture. Too pretty. Needs more dust.”
Ryder laughed and turned to Angelique. “You remember Trace?”
She nodded. “Yes. From our time in Australia.”
“I remember you, too, gorgeous. Still as pretty as ever.”
“Don’t even think about it,” Ryder grumbled, brushing past Trace as they made their way into the hall of the castle.
“Staked your claim already, did you?” Trace asked, lifting the bag from Angelique’s hands.
“No. Just. . don’t.”
“Oooh, I think he’s got a thing for you, honey,” Trace said to her with a quick wink.
“Fuck off, Trace,” Ryder said with a low warning tone to his voice.
Angelique listened to the interplay between the two with great interest. So much that she initially brushed past the fact that while the fortress was ancient and crumbling on the outside, everything on the inside was polished and new, from gleaming wood floors to leather furniture and state-of-the-art electronics spread around the great room off to the right. It was a geek’s paradise in there.
How strange. Who lived here? Who owned this castle?
“I could feel the testosterone level rising in here, and figured Ryder must be back.”
Angelique turned around as a very tall woman with long, curling black hair walked in. Another of the demon hunters.
“Mandy, right?” Angelique asked.
